Page 13 of Heavenly Bodies

‘You know, if you were planning to take me somewhere secluded to kill me, you could’ve stopped at that boulder a few metres back and saved me the trek.’ Wiping a bead of sweat from her brow she collapsed to the ground.

He stopped, tensing, and turned. ‘Believe me, princess, if I had plans to kill you, you’d already be ashes in the wind.’ He looked pointedly at her, sparking fire at his fingertips. ‘Now get up.’

‘I need to rest.’ And she needed to eat. She eyed the bush of berries beside her.

‘Get up,now,’ he hissed.

She feigned a sigh, lying back on the hot earth as she reached out and pulled a handful of berries off the bush beside her.

‘Mmm.’ She savoured the sweet tang of gildberries, chewing torturously slowly. ‘Only if you say please.’

He cast her a venomous look. ‘I hope they’re poisonous.’

‘Me too. It will be preferable to suffering through another conversation with you.’

‘Insolent child,’ Enzo said under his breath, striding further ahead without her.

She saw him disappearing into a shaded grove and thanked the Stars for the respite from heat she saw within it as she dragged herself up the hill, the cool of the forest wrapping around her.

The grove was peaceful. White trunks, pale as starlight, twisted up into shades of red, orange and gold, the leaves gilded. It was quiet, the only sign of life from the song of the dawnbirds. The sole thing ruining the moment was the greathulking figure of the prince currently storming through the grove as if it were the last place he wanted to be. She rolled her eyes, following him.

At long last they reached a flat clearing. Fragrant flowers grew in patches, blush-coloured and beautiful. The trees formed a circle, shelter from the sight of any wanderers. She heard the trickle of babbling water and spied a small brook, clear and ice cold, running alongside them. With a desperate look, she bent over, cupping water in her hands and splashing her face before drinking deeply. She sighed when she’d taken her fill, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand and looked up. Enzo was looking at her with a disgusted expression.

‘It’s comforting to see that my view on Asterians was correct all along. Were you dragged up?’

She had taken his cruelty all morning and her temper flared faster than she was able to push it down. With only a thought, she willed her illusions to grow behind her, into nightmares once more that were fuelled by pure hatred.

It satisfied her to see his face blanch as he looked above her, to whatever she had conjured—whatever fear of his her magick had drawn upon.

And just as quickly as he had stumbled, light flew from his hands, whizzing past her.

She winced, avoiding the light, and she felt the illusion disperse. Flames erupted in Enzo’s eyes, and he cracked his neck. Elara didn’t know if it was just her imagination, or if his golden skin had paled a little.

‘Don’t you dare fucking do that again, darkwitch,’ he growled, his tone deadly.

She threw him a look of disdain. ‘Do you kiss your mother with that mouth?’

Faster than lightning, lustrous rays spilled from hisfingertips, whipping out in streams towards her. She threw her hands up in defence but it was useless. What illusions, what nightmares, could stop them? His light gripped her like it was a tangible thing, slamming her against the trunk of a tree. Her teeth rattled in her skull as her head flew back. The air left her as Enzo’s magick wrapped around her throat, suspending her a foot above the ground. Flames wrapped around her wrists and ankles, their heat strong, though not enough to burn her. But the light, the terrible light, blazed on, blinding her, drowning her as it spread until it had surrounded her. She struggled, begged for her shadows to help her. But they swirled inside her, doing nothing to come to her aid.

Tears streamed down her face and she could only make Enzo out in a blur, stalking towards her. He walked through the wall of light, and she shook.

‘My mother is dead. But you already knew that, didn’t you?’

Elara’s mouth worked. ‘I didn’t, I—’

‘Don’tlie.You want to know why I hate you? Your family? Why I’mgladyour parents are dead?’ Each word dripped with venom as he stepped closer. ‘Because it was your parents who killed my mother. When she travelled to your Starsforsaken kingdom.Theyare the reason your kingdom was cut off from the world.Theyare the reason my father started the War on Darkness, why even now you’re all trapped in your dark fucking wastelands.’

Fury spewed out of Elara faster than she could chase it. ‘You filthy bastardliar!’ she screamed.

His eyes searched hers, and he let out a dead laugh. ‘Oh, they didn’t tell you. You ignorant, sheltered princess. Did you think Mummy and Daddy were good people? Fair and just?’

‘They wouldn’t have—’

‘They did. And I hope their souls never reach the Hallowlands.’

Elara spat at him. The lowest, most degrading thing she could think to do. Spittle landed on his cheek, and he only tilted his head, his light still blaring around her. ‘You thought yourself so powerful, with your tricks and your dreams. But what good is your magick now? You’re weak. Useless. My father was wrong about you. You are no one’s saviour. You can’t even save yourself.’

Elara was rendered immobile. But something within her had begun to wail and tear, something so furious, so writhing, that it spilled out of her. At first she thought it was her shadows—that they had at last come to save her. But as Enzo’s light dimmed, as the form behind her grew, blotting out the light, she realized what it was. She only saw the shadow of her illusion, stretching across the grass towards Enzo. It was a nightmare more visceral than anything she had ever been able to conjure. A monster.

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